William Rodger Shane

In 1970, Shane's friends convinced him to run for state representative. He and his supporters began an extensive campaign, working on Saturdays and weekdays after working at IUP. He defeated Frank Moore in the November election.

After serving three terms in the 62nd District of the House, Shane served on the Public Utility Commission from 1984 to 1990 and was its chairman during his final three years.

Shane, who was known for his tireless efforts towards public service, was often confrontational with colleagues. This became public in 2003 after Shane was sworn into a seat on the Indiana County Board of Commissioners to fill a vacancy created by the departure of commissioner Jim McQuown. Shane was criticized publicly by fellow commissioner Randy Degenkolb for his aggressive demeanor towards county workers who he felt were not giving the county full taxpayer value on their services as employees. Shane admitted to this hard-line approach, and both men made amends, but Degenkolb later resigned his seat.

A tall, physically imposing figure who competed 14 marathons, Shane also was known for his dry wit, especially during campaign ads. He often described himself as 'the big bald guy with the bowtie,' with the tie frequently appearing under his name on campaign signs. Shane wore a bowtie and flat cap during much of his professional life.